growing less all the time? And the water! Look - " and the old woman,
with arm extended, pointed with her forefinger toward the three dry
lakes in the distance, only one of which showed any signs of moisture, a
small spot in the centre, covered with, perhaps, a foot of water -
"look," she repeated, "what were those lakes years ago? Our fathers tell
us that long, long ages past, those three lakes were one large body of
water. Where is it now? Have not I seen, in my own lifetime, the last
one slowly drying up? Where will our game go when it has quite
disappeared? And they laughed at me for telling them. It needs no gift
of prophecy to see that. But they heeded me not. What cared they for
anything so far in the future as that?

"But," continued the woman, after a pause, dropping her arm in her lap,
and speaking in a low, sad voice, "the last time came, and I prophesied,
and this time I told wrongly, for Ouiot did not speak through me. We
were at war with the southern tribe, and it was revealed to me that our
men should conquer. When I told them, a shout went up, and at once they
set off for our enemies. It was four days before they came back, but I
felt no foreboding, for never before had I been deceived, and why should
I be this time? So I waited, confident of the result. Alas! On the
fourth day came a messenger with news of the defeat of our army, and the
massacre of more than half of the men. For the second time in my life I
fainted. When the men returned, they sought me out, and, with cries and
curses, drove me from my home, and told me never to come back. But, on
account of the position I had held, they gave me this hut by the spring
for a dwelling-place, and suffered me to keep you with me. If I had
belonged to one of the fierce tribes of Indians to the far east, I think
they would have killed me, but we are a milder - people. And here we
have lived ever since. After a time I was permitted to visit my kindred,
but always I am greeted with looks of hatred."